During the period when your mother was a teenager, embroidery was considered a significant art and most young girls like her were trained in the art of embroidery. When you found a few embroidery works of your mother and admired them, she explained that there were different types of embroidery. A special one that you were admiring is called needlepoint embroidery. What Is Needlepoint? In this embroidery a variety of stitches are used and needlepoint embroidery can be done over a wide range of materials like silk, cotton and woolen materials. This type of embroidery is done over a fabric mesh or a canvas and one stitch is undertaken on it at one time. The fabric mesh adds support to the needlepoint embroidery being done and sometimes is popularly known as the “bones” of needlepoint embroidery.
Is needlepoint embroidery similar to cross stitch?
Few embroidery specialists consider needlepoint embroidery to be similar to cross stitch embroidery, where a simple cross represents embroidery. In Needlepoint embroidery each specific stitch is used in a canvas which uses different colors. This type of embroidery became very popular in the 16th century but the embroidery’s beginning, dates back to many hundred years later.
What are the other names by which needlepoint embroidery is popularly known as?
When you are trying to understand what is Needlepoint? You also have to understand a few popular names of this embroidery. These are:
1. Canvas-work- Since the stitches in needlepoint embroidery is done over a canvas fabric therefore this embroidery is also known as canvas-work.
2. Wool-work- In the 19th century needlepoint embroidery was used on a large number of daily items made of wool. This consisted of pillows, coverings for the wall, clothing and chair seat covers. These wools were stitched on canvas backgrounds. Wool as threads was very popular in this embroidery as they could be stitched well, dyed into any color and easily available.
3. Petit-point- This type of embroidery is recognized as needlepoint embroidery in miniature version. In fact petit-point is based on specific stitches used to make the embroidery and the canvas area used.
4. Embroidery in tapestry- This is another type of Needlepoint embroidery and is very aesthetic in nature. These designs were made on even-weave ground material than embroidered or woven on loom.
What are the different stitches used in needlepoint?
Now that you have a basic idea of what is Needlepoint, you would need to understand the different stitches used to create it. These stitches are:
• Tent stitch which covers continental stitches
• Basket weave and half cross stitch
• Brick stitch and Gobelin stitch
• Florentine stitch or Flame stitch
The name of these stitches change with the country in which it is used.
What are the basic features of the needles used in needlepoint embroidery?
• In needlepoint embroidery, thin needles have large numbers. For example a needle size of 18 is best suited for canvas work while needle size of 28 can be used for embroidery in even fabrics.
• If you are doing needlepoint embroidery in a fabric that is closely woven then you would need a pointed needle. On the other hand for working on an even fabric you need a tapestry needle. To knit woolen threads you also have ball pointed needles.
• In needlepoint embroidery the length of the needle is the same. But sometimes the width of the needle can change too.
• You would need a long needle if you have to wrap the thread around the needle when doing your specific needle embroidery. If you want speed then you have to use a needle which enjoys short length.
• Needlepoint embroidery also uses needles which have different eye shapes. Round eyes are the best. Other needle eye shapes are long and elongated.
After your conversation with your mother you are interested to learn more about needlepoint. You decide to do a little research on the internet and then start off on with a little guidance from your mother.